[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 99 (Wednesday, July 14, 1999)]
[House]
[Pages H5461-H5462]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        PRESCRIPTION DRUG PRICES

  (Mr. MASCARA asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. MASCARA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to join 
with me in sending a message to our senior citizens across this country 
that we in Congress are committed to cutting the cost of their 
prescriptions.
  Many of the seniors that I spoke with during the July 4th break told 
me about the difficulties they are experiencing in paying for their 
prescriptions. Oftentimes they are being forced to make a choice 
between buying food or buying their medicine. It is a national disgrace 
that we in the wealthiest country in the world are having our elderly 
make that decision in the first place.
  Cutting the dosage or doing without prescriptions eventually adds to 
the cost of health care. This is a no brainer. Join the gentleman from 
Tennessee (Mr. Wamp) and me in support of a House concurrent resolution 
dealing with this matter. I ask my colleagues to express their 
commitment to provide our Nation's seniors with fair and reasonable 
access to prescription drugs.
  Our senior citizens have asked for our help, and it is now time to 
deliver. Now, not later.

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